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Help prevent DVT by being a seat guru

Categories: HealthWatch, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Reviews & Products

Things have been crazy busy lately. After just getting back from a cross-country trip, I just found out I have to make the same trip again next week. Great. Nothing says comfy like being stuck in an airplane seat for six hours. On top of that, with all this time spent sitting in a cramped chair, there's always concern for DVT -- deep vein thrombosis.

Sometimes referred to as coach class syndrome, this is a formation of a blood clot that commonly occurs in the veins of the legs after people spend an extended period of time seated. Bigger problems can also arise if the clot embolizes; that is, if it separates and travels into the lungs, where it can cause a pulmonary embolism.

Many airlines, aware of the threat of DVT, are now suggesting that you get up and take a little stroll once and a while if you're aboard a long flight. This is easier to do on some flights than others, just as finding comfort in a seat can vary greatly depending on .... well, about eight thousand different factors. That's why you may want to check out SeatGuru.com (www.seatguru.com) before you book your next flight. It gives a great breakdown of each seat on the plane on which you are about to travel -- comfort, leg room, ability to recline the seat or not, if it has power port, etc. Knowing this information in advance may help protect against DVT (as well as major frustration), as it will provide you with the chance to fly as comfortably as possible.

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